Jounce bumpers are used in a suspension system of a vehicle to limit transmission of an impact force to a frame member of the vehicle. For example, when the vehicle travels over a bump, components of the suspension system, such as a strut assembly, jounce or collapse to absorb the impact force generated by the bump. However, when the suspension system cannot completely absorb the impact force, the components of the suspension system may impact the frame assembly thereby transmitting the impact force to the frame member, which is not desirable.
Generally, the jounce bumpers gradually stiffen the suspension systems as the suspension system approaches an end of its jounce travel, i.e., before the components of the suspension system impact the frame of the vehicle. As such, a conventional jounce bumper is used to separate components of the suspension system and the frame member of the vehicle to prevent the suspension system from directly impacting the frame member. For example, the conventional jounce bumper may be coupled to a piston rod of a strut assembly of the suspension system between a cylinder of the strut assembly and the frame of the vehicle. The conventional jounce bumper separates the cylinder of the strut assembly and the frame member of the vehicle to prevent the cylinder from directly impacting the frame member as the strut assembly approaches the end of its jounce travel.
The conventional jounce bumper includes a rigid cup and disk-shaped bumper disposed within a cavity of the rigid cup. Generally, the rigid cup couples the disk-shaped bumper to the vehicle or the strut and limits compression of the disk-shaped bumper, thereby increasing a stiffness of the jounce bumper. As the disk-shaped bumper is compressed, the resistance to compression increases to the point the disk-shaped bumper acts like a solid. The compression of the disk-shaped bumper absorbs energy transferred from the suspension system. However, once the disk-shaped bumper acts like a solid, any remaining energy in the suspension system is transferred directly to the frame member of the vehicle. The rigid cup limits the bulging of the bumper, thereby limiting the energy absorbed by the disk-shaped bumper before the disk-shaped bumper acts like a solid. Therefore, there remains a need to provide an improved jounce bumper.